The Monumentous

The Memorial to Walraven van Hall Highlights an Imaginative Way to Honor Individuals and Efforts

Uniquely honoring the Banker to the Resistance

The Monumentous

Europe, Monumentous Memorials, Sculpture

A fallen bronze tree monument located in Frederiksplein in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was created as a memorial to Walraven van Hall, banker of Dutch resistance during World War II. The piece highlights the many different forms memorials can take in order to celebrate an individual while also cultivating engagement with audiences. Banker to the Resistance […]

The Destroyed City Memorial Imagines a New Way to Commemorate the Legacy of Rotterdam

Tragedy, Inspiration and Imagination

The Monumentous

Europe, Monumentous Imagination, Sculpture

Sculptures and monuments of all types are commissioned in celebration of important events but The Destroyed City memorial alludes to an event of historic importance for the city of Rotterdam in a very different way. The piece commemorates and represents the destruction that the city suffered during World War II, highlighting how an imaginative approach […]

The Dragon Fountain Becomes an Icon of Hertogenbosch

Highlighting the Dual Potential and Purpose of Monuments

The Monumentous

Europe, Functional, Monumentous Icons

Recognized as the most famous fountain in Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, the Dragon Fountain (Drakenfontein) is located directly outside of the city’s main station, providing audiences with an identifiable landmark as soon as they enter or leave the city. This distinctiveness as well as the imagination inherent across the piece have helped it to become an […]

The Flag of Amsterdam Becomes an Icon That Appeals to Residents and Visitors

Where Myth Meets Legend

The Monumentous

Europe, Functional, Monumentous Icons

The flag of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, features what looks to be three white X’s on a black stripe that rests on a red background. This incredibly distinctive design can be seen all across the city on actual flags, products for sale and as part of countless advertisements and brands. This ubiquity has allowed it to […]

Petit Sablon Square Imagines a New Identity for the Heart of Brussels

A Hidden Gem of Brussels

The Monumentous

Europe, Monumentous Imagination, Park

Mentioned as one of the architectural jewels in the heart of Brussels, Petit Sablon Square is a small garden that is filled with sculptures from some of the most notable Belgian artists of the 19th century. Imagining a new identity for what was otherwise just another bland urban development in the capital of Belgium has […]

John E. Menario Plaza Newly Defines the Legacy of Lobsterman Park in Portland

A Dual Legacy of Portland and Maine

The Monumentous

Monumentous Legacy, North America, Public Space, United States

Mounted on a plaza near a major intersection in downtown Portland, Maine, “The Maine Lobsterman” sculpture defined what had become known as Lobsterman Park. This identity was further cultivated when the space was renamed John E. Menario Plaza, highlighting what it can mean for a legacy to evolve in ways that are meaningful across audiences […]

The Monument to Peter the Great Provides an Identity for an Antwerp Community

Commemorating a Visit of Peter the Great

The Monumentous

Attraction, Europe, Monumentous Identity

A statue of Peter the Great defines a section of the Kloosterstraat, which is one of the most popular streets in Antwerp, Belgium. Providing audiences with a sense of history as well as an identity that makes it distinct in the city and region, the Monument to Peter the Great is an incredible example of […]